Monday, January 13, 2025
Charles M. DeCarlo, 83, passed peacefully on April 12, 2024.
Born March 8, 1941 in Ironwood, Mich., to Flouise (Secor) and Eugene DeCarlo.
“Chuck” or “Butch” or even “Bootsie” left this earth to be with the love of his life, Jean Ann, who proceeded him in Jan. 2021.
He is survived by sons: Steve (Kathy) DeCarlo, Paul (Asagay) DeCarlo, daughter Nikki (Chris) Miller and sister Diane Fontecchio. He has eight grandchildren and 12 great-grandchildren who were the twinkle in his eye.
Chuck spent over 30 years as a teacher, mainly at John Muir Middle School. He was a snowmobile, boater and hunter safety instructor, as well as a coach for numerous sports. He spent the last three years loving life and enjoying the climate and people of Mexico.
Chuck was a fun-loving soul who loved to help people and was a great practical joker. Whether it is putting a rotten fish above the ceiling tiles in the office of one of his friends in school, filling your shoes with expanding insulation or saran wrapping your son’s toilet seat when he was on a night out, he was always good for a laugh. That lightheartedness only was outdone by his desire to help others. While he would drop anything for family, he did it for complete strangers as well. That desire was evident in his teaching, coaching and volunteering. He could often be found at one of his two favorite places – Birch Hill or any race track. He loved being at the camp with his friends and family. The stories and memories were legendary. At the track, he was a natural. Tony Ave once told me, “If Chuck said the car wasn’t ready and the crew chief said it was, I didn’t go out that session.”
Even with all his activities, they almost always involved family. He invited you to his passions while fully encouraging and supporting yours. There were very few swim meets or wrestling matches that he didn’t make.
There will be a celebration of life planned in Hurley sometime this summer. In lieu of flowers, a site to send donations has been set up at St. Jude’s Children’s hospital in the name of Chuck and Jean DeCarlo.
